Ricker Rumblings
by Lois Downing
Hello everyone! Are your stomachs still filled from the delicious meals we have had since Thanksgiving? Leftovers are the best and so many ways to use the food left over!
All in darkness now on Sunday when this is written. Do you like the change in time? Most of us don’t like change, and I’m still trying to get used to it. Spent the week from Monday morning until Friday evening in Bangor. I visited my daughter Kathy and went to Ross Manor where she is Activities Director. They had a food sale and I helped with that. Fun—got to see many people.
How would you like to be recognized as a volunteer? How do we tell you thank you for your hours? Do you remember the time for the dinner or the recognition? Would you like us to come to you personally, do the big recognitions, or smaller groups. Do you like flowers, pat on the back, candles, candy, videos, garden seeds, name in the paper, thank you baskets? (These are some of the questions Aroostook Retired Senior Volunteer are asking.) Thiink about it—are you a volunteer or would like to be one? Call Bonnie Pratt at 757-8355 if you do.
LUNCH & LEARN—is being presented at Houlton Regional Hospital Education Center on Wednesday, December 7, 2011 from noon to 1 p.m. The featured speaker will be Dottie Sines from the Aroostook Agency on Aging and sponsored by Gardiner Health Care Facility. Call Sarah Anderson at 532-3323 to reserve a seat. Lunch will be provided. The program covers finding joy among the turmoil while caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Sounds like a worthy subject.
Norma Bates enjoyed dinner with family and friends on Thanksgiving in the number of 20! People were everywhere!
I certainly enjoyed ‘’Beauty and the Beast’’ at the Houlton Community Arts Center on Sunday, Nov. 20. The costumes, dancing, singing, instructors, sponsors, technicians, and all who helped in any way were very pleased with the performances.
Paul Armstrong’s granddaughter, Sara Rose Mack, was married to Fred Cole on Thanksgiving Day. Sara’s 2-year-old son Carter Lee was ring bearer. Paul’s son-in-law Richard McLaughlin married the couple with a beautiful ceremony. His great-grandkids, grandkids, daughters and son and their families all gathered for the celebration and lots of turkey and ham with five kinds of pie afterwards. There were lots of laughs and music and full of thanksgivings to go around. The ceremony was performed at Judy Armstrong’s residence in Ludlow — granddaughter to Paul. Paul had five granddaughters present.
Here is some more about angels. My guardian angel is watching over me night and day. I know whenever I need her, she’s only a prayer away.
Two of our tenants are hospitalized: Thomas Vasko is at St. Joseph Hospital in Bangor (not sure of the name of the hospital) and Brenda Kinkade is in our local hospital. Our best to you both.
Donna Burns is a patient at Madigan House, a part of Madigan health care facility. We miss you, Donna and our friends are all asking for you. Rode home on Friday’s bus with Mildred McIntosh. We had a lovely conversation, trying to catch up on a few years. Nice to see you Mildred.
The winter craft and gift fair at the Houlton Parks and Recreation building was very successful, according to my sources. This is always a popular table with many items as mittens, children’s and men’s socks and rag dolls, just to name a few. See you next week, God willing. Keep warm, and do a good deed for the day. You’ll be glad you did.
Island Falls News
The Island Falls Historical Society will be holding its annual Christmas cookie sale at the Tingley House on Saturday, Dec. 3, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be refreshments served and crafts will be available for sale. The public is cordially invited to come in, browse and buy lots of cookies and crafts.
Mr. and Mrs Clayton Webb were Thanksgiving guests of their niece and family in Bangor, Greg and Darlene Kenny, Shawna, Matthew and Trey. They returned home after spending a couple of days there. Linda Dupre and Mr. and Mrs John Stevens and myself enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner at the VFW hall in Staceyville, where the food was very good, plentiful and enjoyed by many other people from the surrounding towns.
The day was bright and sunny even though there was snow on the ground from Wednesday’s storm and the roads were all bare and the driving easy. Have been out doing a bit of shoveling away the snow under my birdfeeders and busy filling the feeders up. Lots of birds are here now, including a gold finch or two
The blue jays haven’t been too plentiful yet, but just as well as they really can empty a feeder quite fast. Haven’t seen the red squirrel in awhile but am sure he will show up soon. It’s quite a sight to see him hanging by his feet from the tree limb to get at the sunflower seeds. Should get a picture of him. I finally spotted a deer one day last week in my lower back yard. She was all by herself and didn’t linger too long. This is the first season in a good many years that I have not had a lot of deer to watch from my house. Hopefully when spring comes there will be a few fawn to watch leaping and jumping around and having a great time while the doe keeps an eye on all this activity.
Bio-Mass Tour
The Houlton/Hodgdon Adult Education program is offering the following courses. To register for these classes or for more information, call 521-3100 ext. 5.
The public and local contractors are invited to the Energy Workshop at Region Two Vocational on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 8-11 a.m. A highlight of this workshop will be a tour of the new bio-mass wood chip heating system at the Houlton High School. Other topics of interest will include alternative residential heating options (pellets, geo-thermal, solar), heat conservation, energy audits, and energy savings through grants and loans. If you are interested in alternative energy and energy conservation, contact Houtlon Hodgdon Adult Education today at 521-3100 x5 to pre-register.
